by Capt. Flak » Wed Aug 28, 2013 1:54 pm
I agree. This is not racing, it is all about the design of the boat and wing and foils. Maybe in five or ten years they will find a design envelope that everyone fits into and then it is back to sailing vs technology. But right now it is a matter of who has the best design and the most money. Of course the AC has always been about design and pushing the envelope, but with 12 meters and even the AC class, there was only so far you could go. There was maybe a half a knot of speed difference between boats. Good tactics and boat handling could win over pure speed. With these foiling cats, we are talking up to 6 or even 8 knots faster and better designed foils allow you to get up faster and just roll over your opponent in seconds.
Plus the design of the course and the new rules have completely messed up match racing tactics. The staggered timed entry (for safety) is silly. Then the reaching start is nothing more than a drag race as Merv49 points out. I do not know why they can't still do a traditional pre-start and then race upwind? And the rules at the gates has also changed tactics (not that anyone was even close enough to ETNZ to bring tactics into play). Also the boundary, while great for the spectators, completely takes away choices and any hope of making a comeback. It is follow the leader right after the first mark.
Hats off to ETNZ for getting it right and having the skills to do it. I sure hope the other "New Zealand" team can match them or this thing is dead.
I would like to see them get back to 12-meters with carbon fiber hulls and rigs and the latest sail tech. If not 12-meters, how about a modernized formula rule based on the 12-meter. Or even a one-design class.
They have completely taken the nationality out of it. Most of the boats are built in NZ and sailed by New Zealanders. I say go to a one-design monohull with a max budget and every member of the crew must come from the country of origin. Oracle has a US flag on the boat, but it only has about two US sailors on the boat, if that.
I am rooting for this to work. I am on the edge of my chair for the first race. But if it is just a drag race, I will tune out.
Sorry to ramble.
Joe Walter #24